When an unguided (i.e., ballistic) flying object is released toward a particular target, the object's path is largely determined by two forces: gravity and wind. Gravity is a known force, and the only variables needed for determining the effect of gravity are the respective heights of the point of release and the target. The effect of wind forces, however, are much more difficult to determine. The wind force can change direction and speed quickly. Moreover, for objects released on long trajectories, the wind force may vary over the course of the trajectory. Therefore, a person trying to hit a target with the unguided object must ideally account not only for the wind force over time, but also over the range of flight.
Standard ballistic calculators do allow for input regarding the heading and the magnitude of the wind force. However, such wind forces are typically determined manually by the user. When real-time wind force readings are provided by anemometers, these are typically for only one or two locations (usually, the location of release), and the user must estimate the wind force elsewhere along the path, or simply apply the wind force at the known location as if it applied along the entire path.
What is needed, then, is a method of real-time acquisition of wind force data along the entire planned trajectory path of a flying object in order to calculate, in real-time or near-real-time, the ideal release velocity vector (i.e., heading and speed) of the object.